What is with School Science Programs?

 

Schools Are Keeping Students Hands Off Science

There is something magical about the first time you set foot in a classroom and do your first science experiment. But a study done by the National Assessment of Educational Progress has found that students are spending less time doing hands on science projects than they were in the past. While test results in the sciences have improved, the amount of time they spent doing hands on activities that go beyond reading a textbook are down significantly.

According to the study, only 29% of students actually did hands on science experiments in the year. 58% of the students polled then stated this was something they never did, with an additional 14% claiming this was something they rarely did.

While the numbers are alarming, there is some speculation that the results could be potentially misunderstood questions by students. Another concern is that students in their junior and senior years who finished the science requirements for graduation wouldn’t have any hands on science activities and that could be another reason why the numbers are as high as they are.

Perhaps the most important thing to do now is to ensure that our schools begin to incorporate more hands on learning for our students. After all, we may inspire that one person to follow their dreams in the lab and to come up with a cure for a terminal illness, or a new way to extend our lives. The possibilities are endless, when we nourish their minds.

Discover more at: http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/11/are-us-schools-teaching-hands-science